Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. distribution rights, VOD and home entertainment rights to "Life Itself," the documentary based on Roger Ebert's autobiography which premiered recently at the Sundance Film Festival.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. distribution rights, VOD and home entertainment rights to "Life Itself," the documentary based on Roger Ebert's autobiography which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Directed by Steve James ("Hoop Dreams"), the film was previously acquired by CNN Films for broadcast. Magnolia
said they are considering a summer release, followed by an exclusive broadcast on CNN
later this year, a similar release strategy as the one the two companies collaborated on for the successful release of "Blackfish" last year.

"Roger
Ebert gets the tribute he deserves with 'Life Itself,'" Magnolia
President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. "Steve James has done a beautiful job capturing
Roger's complexity and energy in a loving but wonderfully clear-eyed
portrait."